But there was nothing the Saddlers could do to stop Villa going two goals up on 33 minutes thanks to a trademark burst from Villa’s current longest serving player, Agbonlahor.

The Brummie forward latched onto the ball just inside Walsall’s half and his quick and tricky feet took him through the home defence before he calmly slotted past the keeper.

Most of the action was played inside the Saddlers half as Villa’s Premier League passing and moving provided Dean Smith’s men with a stern eve-of-season test before they kick off their League One campaign at home to Tranmere on Saturday afternoon.

Nathan Baker and Ron Vlaar, most probably Villa’s starting central defensive pairing at Arsenal if injured Jore Okore still lacks sufficient game-time by August 17, were rarely troubled before the break.

Walsall’s first threatening moment came when Craig Westcarr got in behind them and scuffed a shot wide, although the offside flag was already up in any event.

Jed Steer almost gifted them a chance when his stray pass went to James Baxendale, but the Walsall winger got the ball stuck under his feet and the Villa keeper had a lucky reprieve.

There was a flurry of activity after Villa’s second goal with Benteke curling a sublime effort against the bar and firing just over on the turn, while Weimann felt he was denied a clear penalty when he was challenged by Andy Butler as he went through on goal.

Lambert made seven changes at the break but left Agbonlahor, Weimann and Benteke on, as well as left-back Antonio Luna, and added Nicklas Helenius to the attacking mix.

Soon Villa’s potent strike force had added another goal involving three of the frontrunners, and dripping with quality, to make it three on 52 minutes.

Helenius displayed great vision to send Weimann scampering towards the right corner flag and when the Austrian drilled the ball across the face of goal, Benteke forced it in from close range without breaking his stride.

Having been brought on at half-time Chris Herd only last 15 minutes before he hobbled off to join Okore, Aleksandar Tonev, Joe Bennett and Marc Albrighton on the treatment table.

It meant Antonio Luna played the entire 90 minutes, while Janoi Donacien, Gary Gardner, Samir Carruthers and Grealish and came on for the final half hour with Weimann, Benteke and Agbonlahor departing.

Grealish is among a host of academy graduates eager to make the most of his first team chance and the teenage attacker did just that by scoring Villa’s fourth goal on 67 minutes.

Helenius was continuing to show his quality on the ball and his clever pass played in Grealish who kept his composure to roll a measured finish through the legs of O’Donnell from inside the penalty area.

Another academy product Gary Gardner made it five on 87 minutes when he smashed an unstoppable free-kick into the top corner from 25 yard out.

There was plenty for the large contingent of Villa fans to cheer in their seventh friendly, not least their team’s first clean sheet since a goalless Premier League draw against Stoke at Villa Park last December, thanks to a last gasp save from Brad Guzan to deny Milan Lalkovic.

But the confidence the claret and blues are building as the big kick off draws nearer will please Lambert more than the second successive five-goal rout against lower league opposition.